The presidential elections of 1860, 1896, 1932, and 1968 are considered because those elections marked a sharp change in the existing patterns of party loyalty among groups of voters.

The presidential elections of 1860, 1896, 1932, and 1968 are considered critical because those elections marked a sharp change in the existing patterns of party loyalty among groups of voters.

The results in these elections could be due to parties going extinct, party view changes, and a change in voter loyalty.

Their solution was to tax the colonists.